Today is my last work day before vacation, so naturally I'll be getting very little done because the struggle to stay focused is so very real. 

Here is a sneak peek of my card that will be up on the Butterfly Reflections, Ink blog tomorrow. The colors will just make you swoon, I swear. 

You might be wondering about my blog post title, so let me explain.

A few weeks ago I posted about some ideas for what to do when your creative juices have seemingly dried up and your mojo is nowhere to be found. There was one tip that I did not talk about, but it's one that I try to practice on a somewhat regular basis. 

I think it's important to avoid putting all your creative eggs in one basket. I am a cardmaker, and I habitually practice, study, and learn techniques to sharpen my cardmaking skills. But I have other creative interests. Pursuing those other creative interests helps sharpen my cardmaking skills. For instance, I dabble in graphic design. When I say dabble, I mean......barely enough to call it dabbling. And when I say graphic design, I mean.....I use web-based programs to help me. It's not like I just open a blank document in the Adobe Creative Suite and pull something out of my tush, willy-nilly. 

Here's a very specific example of how pursuing another hobby helped my cardmaking. Creating a scene is a technique in cardmaking that is sometimes very difficult for me, and that's because I am a detailed person and less of a big-picture thinker. But a couple years (yes, I said YEARS) ago, I got an idea into my head to create a print of some of my favorite words in all of literature. A month ago, I wanted to take a break from cardmaking and pursue something else for a short time to let my cardmaking muscles take a break. So I decided to exercise my big picture muscles and create a larger project. I designed a print and then used some of my cardmaking stamps to embellish it. When I'm used to looking at a "canvas" that is 4.25" x 5.5", it's actually really intimidating to think about creating something that was 8.5" x 11". I looked at a blank screen and all.the.white.space just SCREAMED at me. But then I just started typing, designing, etc., and before too long I got a big picture in my head of how I wanted this print to turn out. By the time I was done, I felt like I had learned a lot about composition (which is the aspect of cardmaking that I struggle with the most) and restraint. Oh my goodness.......I know I just said I struggle with composition the most, but as I'm writing this out, I'm thinking "Well....actually I probably have just as hard a time with showing restraint". So yeah, it's probably 50/50! 

And don't get me started on color combinations.....phew. It's a miracle that I churn out ANYTHING that's remotely pleasing to the eye.

Ok, so maybe I struggle with lots of aspects of cardmaking equally. I'm a work in progress.

Anyway, my point in saying all of this is that instead of being convinced that you're going to pursue one area of creating and then ignoring any other interests, you are handicapping yourself in the long run! So if you're a cardmaker like me, don't be afraid to make friends with all the fun needle art crafts there are out there. If you're a photographer, get some blank paper and some cheap watercolors and a paintbrush, and just see what happens! When you let yourself be uninhibited, you'll find inspiration in the most unique places!

Thanks for stopping by today and don't forget to check out my card tomorrow on the blog!

Kelly

Hello!

Thanks for stopping by today. I've got a sneak peek of my card coming up on the Butterfly Reflections, Ink blog tomorrow, and naturally it's all about Mother's Day! 

Today I'd like to give some ideas on how to get over a creative slump. I have learned that the creative process can be extremely draining and tiring, even when you do have lots of ideas for your projects. But when the ideas seem to be few and far between, the process is even more tiring! Here are some suggestions for getting the creative juices flowing again.

1. Walk away. 

This one is actually the hardest one for me. I HATE leaving anything unfinished, and it drives me crazy to step away from my projects sometimes. But I have found that, just like working in the financial industry (which is what I do full time), if you walk away from something and then put fresh eyes on it after a period of down-time, you'll come back with an even better perspective! 

2. Walk Outside.

I have a few good friends who are very gifted photographers and when I see their work, I am always slightly envious because I could never re-create the same beauty that's captured in a photograph, and God has created that world for us to live in. My favorite colors are not found in paints, inks, markers, or colored pencils. The most inspiring color schemes are the natural ones found outside! So take a walk in the great outdoors and see what this lovely earth has to offer.

3. Walk Backward. 

Sometimes we feel this unspoken pressure to re-invent the wheel every time we sit down to create. Consider this: How many paintings of landscapes exist in the world? Yet each one is unique and beautiful in its own right, and appreciated for different reasons. Re-visit an old technique that you have done before and love working with, and the inspiration for a new creation won't be long in coming.

4. Walk With a Pencil in Hand.

I never go anywhere without a sketchbook and a pencil, because I never know when I'll see something that inspires me. If I think of an idea for a card layout, I'll do a quick sketch of it in my book. Thankfully I always have my phone with me, so I can also take pictures of clothes, dishes, or any other various and sundry random objects that inspire me. I'm sure I have concerned many a store employee as I've walked through different places snapping pictures of their wares so that I can remember the color scheme or pattern later and incorporate it into a card. 

5. Walk Another Creative's Path. 

This one is probably the most helpful. A year and a half ago when I first started to get into card making, I had a conversation with my sister in law (a very talented artist) about inspiration. She told me that one of her college professors encouraged all of her students to constantly look at other's artworks. Not only did this encouragement keep the students' perspectives in a healthy place by not vainly studying their own work alone, but by looking at other's creations, they were constantly challenged and pushed by asking questions. "When you look at a work of art, you have a reaction. In analyzing that reaction, you will better understand the artistic process." I had the privilege of sitting down with this professor at a casual meal many months later and sharing with her that even though I had never taken any of her classes, these words of wisdom affected me vicariously through one of her former students. 

Thanks for taking the time to read! I am by no means an expert in any of these suggestions, but maybe they'll be helpful to you on your artistic journey. Never stop creating!

Kelly